The Artificial Kingdom: A Treasury of the Kitsch Experience

by Celeste Olalquiaga

The Artificial Kingdom is the first book to provide a cultural history of kitsch, an immensely popular aesthetic phenomenon that has always been disdained as "bad taste," or a cheap imitation of art. Proposing instead that kitsch is the product of a larger sensibility of loss, Celeste Olalquiaga shows how it enables the momentary re-creation of experiences that exist only as memories or fantasies. Simultaneously exposing and celebrating this process, Olalquiaga gives us a bold, trenchant analysis of what and how we see when we look at kitsch.

Tracing its beginnings to the nineteenth century--when industrialization transformed nature into an artificial kingdom of miniature scale--Olalquiaga describes the at once exhilarated and melancholic atmosphere where kitsch came to life. In an arresting mix of theory and anecdote, she examines objects from both the past and the present, probing the fluid boundaries between reality and fantasy, and finding in kitsch a phenomenon as relevant to our own time as it was to the era that made it a massive experience.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Material Culture, Cultural Studies, Art History, Philosophy, Pop Culture

321 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1998

Reviews

[Sarah Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of embarrassing, how much I would have adored this book if I read it during my undergrad theory nerd phase. The bite-sized summary is that kitsch, in its trapped-in-Lucite glory, is an approximation of the natural world which we've destroyed through rapid industrialization, a sentimental distortion of our relationship to nature. That idea is probably worth the price of the ticket. Also, I like the historical picture of kitsch evolving from Victorian aquarium-keeping to present. That said, the introduction is a regrettably over-written fantasia. But there are pictures, so bonus for that.

[Jantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A baffling book. I expected it to be a history of kitsch through the years; instead, after some truly interesting observations on the phenomenon of kitsch, the book veers off in bewildering tangents on mermaids and gender, Atlantis, and identity politics in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, book-ended by some of the writer's own purple-prosish philosophical thoughts. All of which are very interesting, but seem besides the point, as at the end of these chapters the author struggles to establish a tenuous connection with what was previously said about kitsch: how it exists between past and present.

About a fourth of this book was actually about kitsch; the other three quarters could have been published as a proper history of the commodification and collection of natural wonders throughout the ages, which is interesting in its own right.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decía alguien que tenía miedo constante vital de en qué momento Pantomima Full haría un vídeo sobre algo que le tocaba de lleno. Pues algo así con este libro. Interesante, sorprendente y divertido.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really fascinating, and really dense. Much of it is a critique and addendum to Walter Benjamin's writings, so it can be hard to understand if you're not familiar with his works (especially Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction). Celeste's prose is gorgeous, although sometimes it makes it difficult to parse her meaning. Still, it's hard not to love a book with sections written to the crab in a paperweight. Plus I think her understanding of kitsch as the physical manifestation of the shattered aura is pretty brilliant.

[Miri Villerius]

Excellent book on the topic of kitsch. While much of it did go through certain examples I wasn't particularly interested in. The syntheses of ideas made it much worth the read.

[Chrissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This turned out to not be the book for me. I found myself reading sentences over and over and struggling to dissect the at times heavily poetic/academic mélange. Chapters drifted into one another, interspersed with personal essay. Where I might have expected a strong theme or line, the text instead felt like the embodiment of a cabinet of wonders, stuffed with often unlabeled, at times interesting, bits of argument or fact. Not a bad book, just unsatisfying.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in a philosophy of art class 15 years ago and still think about it all the time.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I still don,t get kitsch. I need to ask a Jewish friend since I think that is where my understanding of the idea stems. Heavy duty reading.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this woman's work. So many analyses of kitsch are themselves kitsch, trite and just a little corny – but this is theoretically rigorous, conceptually demanding, and shows the ongoing usefulness of Walter Benjamin's work. Not only is there a close reading of instances of kitchness, but a finely constructed model the demonstrates the circumstances for the construction and emergence of certain things as kitsch.

[RoseAdagio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a class. Great journey into looking at how pop culture and human obsession/fascination work produces that. It focuses on the Victorian era, but the concepts can be applied and noted even today in how and why the popular things become mainstream, and how that changes the object in question from its original intention/meaning, etc.

Definitely a thought-provoking text that raises many, many questions about many, many things. Plus, I also really enjoyed the lyrical writing style.

[mtthw · Rating 5 out of 5]

best art theory book ever!!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I have more time to peruse this, it'll probably be a 5 star rating.

[Patrice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting subject but too dry I actaully could not finish it. I think I will try it again another time.

[Brenda Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it for a class and it was amazing! For anyone who is interested in art, collecting, the victorian era, and kitsch.
http://www.celesteolalquiaga.com/king...

[Mary Louise Schumacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up in the spring while working on a piece about Wisconsin artist Beth Lipman's work. What a delight. A full exploration and celebration of kitsch.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benjamin 2.0.